EVE Online: There's an App For That

Unlike that other MMO, EVE Online does not allow modification of the game's client for user-made mods. To fill this void, the EVE Online community (which is filled with IT professionals – just ask around in your corp) has created a ton of fan made applications. Some of them are great, others can be avoided. This list will run down the four best fan-made applications, plus a few other honorable mentions.

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#1 – EveHQ

The 500-pound gorilla, EveHQ is the application to end all other EVE applications. At first glance, it appears to be a simple character managing app, but it is so much more. With the plug-in ability, endless features can be added to EveHQ. The real gem is the EveHQ Fitter, which is the most accurate EVE ship fitting tool you can find (see note on EFT at the bottom). EveHQ also features tools for managing a corp, managing a POS, viewing killmails and the map tool let you plan your trips across New Eden. EveHQ's customizable plug-ins mean that it can easily become the application that does whatever you want. If you aren't using EveHQ, you aren't trying.

Download EveHQ at http://www.evehq.net/

#2 – EVEMON

Although EveHQ's character management is great, I prefer EVEMON for my skill planning and management. With this app, you can easily plan your skill training path and EVEMON will suggest what implants and learning skills to learn to minimize the training time that it will take you. The ship browser will let you see quickly how long it will take you to be able to fly the ships you currently don't have the skills for. EVEMON even will pull down builds from popular fitting website BattleClinic and tell you exactly what skills you need to be able to fly it. EVEMON might be the best thing to come out of the controversial Goonswarm alliance.

Download EVEMON at http://evemon.battleclinic.com/

#3 – Capsuleer

Anybody who watches television these days is flooded with hundreds of iPhone commercials that show off the various apps that are available for that smart phone. It's a shame they never show off Capsuleer, the EVE Online iPhone application. Capsuleer is a beautiful application that fits in perfectly with the iPhone design style, and allows you to monitor your character's skill training, check the status of the EVE Online server, read EVE news and more. Here's another plus: the competing Java application that is designed to run on BlackBerrys doesn't hold a candle to Capsuleer in functionality, design or productivity. Capsuleer is offered for free on the iTunes Store

Get more information on Capsuleer at http://capsuleer.evesuite.com/

#4 – Wormhole Thingie

If you enjoy wormhole exploration (and who doesn't), then Wormhole Thingie is a must have. This simple little application combines the information on mass and wormhole classes and effects into a simple and quick application. This prevents you from having to search Google or spin through web pages for the information you want when you're about to lead a wormhole fleet into the unknown. The app has been in beta forever and the accuracy of the database it uses has been questioned by some, but it's still the only one that does what it does.

Download Wormhole Thingie at http://tinyurl.com/evemmo1

The Former Champion – Eve Fitting Tool

EVE Fitting Tool, or EFT, was the original fitting software for EVE Online that allowed pilots to plan and check out fits before actually fitting them in the game. While this was once groundbreaking, it's quickly become outclassed by EveHQ. Although EVE pilots will argue about EFT vs. EveHQ fitter until the end of time, EFT has noticeable inaccuracies in the information it will provide you (supposedly because of differences in the EVE database that EveHQ and EFT reference). EFT will tell you that you can fit that ship with five powergrid units to spare, only to find that in the game, you can't fit it at all, or perhaps EFT will tell you that that ship will output 300 dps when it only outputs 200. You may still have fits saved in EFT that you haven't transferred over to EveHQ yet, or maybe you prefer the interface style of EFT, however I strongly suggest you give EveHQ a try.

Download Eve Fitting Tool at http://tinyurl.com/evemmo2

The Prospect - New Eden

Not exactly a standalone application, per se, but CCP has announced 'New Eden', formerly 'COSMOS', which will be a 'social networking tool' (or Spacebook as it is lovingly called by the community). The first step of New Eden will be a completely revised in-game mail system that will be accessible out-of-game via a web browser. Player profiles (which look very similar to Facebook profiles) will be features allowing you to comment and chat with your friends. A calender system will be added allowing you to play director-only meetings, big fleet battles or those exciting mining ops. CCP has mentioned they plan to add support for hosting and providing videos. Although it hasn't come out yet, New Eden has the potential to do huge things for the EVE player base.

Get more information on New Eden at http://tinyurl.com/evemmo3

There are many fan-made applications out there that help you maximize your EVE experience, and these are the best of the best.